A payroll review isn't about catching you out or highlighting failures. It's a proactive compliance measure that gives you certainty. Either everything is fine and you have peace of mind, or there are issues and you've found them before they become bigger problems.
Here's what actually happens during a payroll review with me, from that first phone call to what comes next.
The initial conversation: understanding your situation
Every review starts with a 30-minute conversation. This isn't a sales call. It's a discovery session where I'm listening for specific things.
I want to know what's prompting the review. Has something happened, or are you trying to avoid a payroll problem?
This initial conversation is your opportunity to offload everything. Have you had a specific employee complaint, a concern about how the system handles certain calculations, or just general uncertainty?
I’ll also ask plenty of questions. What does your workforce look like – full-time salaried staff, shift workers, casual employees? What payroll system are you using and how long have you had it?
Sometimes, just in this conversation, I can see clear issues. Leave balances that don't reconcile with what they should be. System settings that don't match the employment agreements.
When the problem is obvious, I know a full review is needed. For smaller businesses, I'll often review all employees rather than just a sample, because if there's an issue with how the system is set up, it's likely affecting everyone.
The review process: replicating your payroll
Here's where the detailed work happens. I use a proprietary spreadsheet that replicates your payroll calculations from scratch.
This means I'm manually checking gross earnings, leave taken, public holiday pay, sick leave, alternative holidays, bonuses, commissions, termination pays – essentially every payment type your business uses.
I'm not just looking at what your system calculated. I'm working out what the payment should be according to employment law and your employment agreements, then comparing that to what actually happened.
This process uncovers things like:
Leave calculations using average daily pay when relevant daily pay should apply
Public holiday payments missing time and a half or alternative holidays
Incorrect tax codes being applied
Annual leave balances that haven't adjusted when employees changed their hours
Allowances or penalty rates not being included in leave payments
The spreadsheet approach means I can show you exactly where the discrepancy is and what caused it. It's not just "this looks wrong" – it's "here's the calculation that should have happened, here's what actually happened, and here's the $347.50 difference."
The findings: getting payroll clarity
Once the review is complete, you get two things: a formal written report and a Loom walk-through video.
The written report documents everything I found – what's working correctly, what needs fixing, and what the implications are. But I've learned that written reports, especially when they're full of payroll terminology and calculations, can be overwhelming.
That's why I also create a Loom video walking you through the findings. I share my screen, walk you through the findings, explain each issue in plain language, and answer the questions I know you'll have. You can watch it as many times as you need, pause it to take notes, and share it with anyone else who needs to understand what's happening.
The video makes the technical stuff accessible. Instead of trying to interpret a spreadsheet on your own, you're hearing me explain exactly what each number means and why it matters.
The follow up: what happens next
After you've had time to review the report and watch the video, we have a follow-up call.
This is where you ask questions, we discuss implications, and we talk about remediation options.
If employees have been underpaid, we work out the remediation payments needed. If system settings need changing, we fix what needs to be adjusted. If the issue is more fundamental – like the payroll system not being fit for your business needs – we discuss alternatives.
This is also where many businesses realise they need ongoing support. This could look like:
Training on how to use their system correctly
Help migrating to a more suitable platform
Regular check-ins to make sure new issues don't develop
The review identifies the problems. The follow-up is about solving them in a way that works for your business.
Why proactive beats reactive
Payroll errors don’t stay hidden forever.
Either your employees notice and lose trust that they're being paid correctly. Or a Labour Inspector finds the issues, and you're dealing with penalties on top of remediation. Or you discover the problem three years down the track when the amounts owed are significantly larger.
A proactive review looks responsible. It shows you're taking compliance seriously and looking after your employees. It also means you're the one in control of the timeline and the remediation process.
Waiting until someone else finds the problem is when it gets expensive and stressful.
What it costs
The initial review of your payroll system settings is a fixed cost. If issues require deeper investigation, a full remediation audit is charged per employee. This covers gathering data, replicating calculations, and determining what needs correcting.
Business owners are focused on solving the problem, not finding the cheapest solution. When compliance is at stake, getting it fixed properly matters more than cost comparison, and addressing errors early always costs less than dealing with them later.
We'll discuss exact costs during your initial consultation once I understand your specific situation.
Getting started
Get in touch to book a free 15-minute consultation. We'll talk through your situation and work out whether a review makes sense for your business.
The worst that happens? Everything is fine, and you have certainty. The best that happens? You catch issues early, fix them properly, and avoid bigger problems down the track.
About the author
Karyn Campbell is a New Zealand payroll consultant and founder of Payroll Consult. With 5+ years running her own consultancy and a background in payroll software – including roles across client support, onboarding, and partnership management at a leading NZ payroll provider – Karyn brings a rare combination of technical knowledge and real-world compliance experience. She works with business owners, bookkeepers, and payroll teams across New Zealand, specialising in payroll audits, system reviews, and fixing complex payroll issues for teams that don’t work a typical 9-5.
